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Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Vargish's View

Vargish's View: Cowbells Ring As Colorado Springs Switchbacks Host Timbers 2

There’s a fever rising in Colorado Springs, and the only prescription…is more cowbell.  On Wednesday evening, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Portland Timbers 2 at Weidner Field, with Centura Orthopedics and Centura Health sponsoring a cowbell giveaway.  Tickets for Wednesday’s match are available HERE. 

April 20th saw the Switchbacks and Timbers 2 play out a wild 2-2 draw at Merlo Field, with two goals inside the final six minutes settling the contest in the Rose City.  Foster Langsdorf scored twice for T2 after Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt had opened the scoring for the visitors. Jordan Schweitzer added the Switchbacks’ second goal in the 84th minute. 

Former Stanford Cardinal star Langsdorf is tied for third on T2’s goal-scoring charts with 4 goals in the 2019 USL Championship.  Venezuelan Brayan Hurtado has 5 goals this season, while Dairon Asprilla has scored 7 times in just seven appearances. Asprilla notched T2’s only goal in Portland’s most recent game in the USL Championship, a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy II on July 28th at Providence Park in downtown Portland.  T2’s match on Saturday evening at Southwest University Park in El Paso, Texas against the El Paso Locomotive FC was cancelled by the USL after the devastating mass shooting that occurred in The Sun City on Saturday morning. 

There’s a fever rising in Colorado Springs, and the only prescription…is more cowbell.  On Wednesday evening, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Portland Timbers 2 at Weidner Field, with Centura Orthopedics and Centura Health sponsoring a cowbell giveaway.  Tickets for Wednesday’s match are available HERE. 

April 20th saw the Switchbacks and Timbers 2 play out a wild 2-2 draw at Merlo Field, with two goals inside the final six minutes settling the contest in the Rose City.  Foster Langsdorf scored twice for T2 after Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt had opened the scoring for the visitors. Jordan Schweitzer added the Switchbacks’ second goal in the 84th minute. 

Former Stanford Cardinal star Langsdorf is tied for third on T2’s goal-scoring charts with 4 goals in the 2019 USL Championship.  Venezuelan Brayan Hurtado has 5 goals this season, while Dairon Asprilla has scored 7 times in just seven appearances. Asprilla notched T2’s only goal in Portland’s most recent game in the USL Championship, a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy II on July 28th at Providence Park in downtown Portland.  T2’s match on Saturday evening at Southwest University Park in El Paso, Texas against the El Paso Locomotive FC was cancelled by the USL after the devastating mass shooting that occurred in The Sun City on Saturday morning. 

Last Friday the Switchbacks fell 1-0 to the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City at Zion’s Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah behind an 86th minute winning goal by the Monarchs’ Damian German.  “I think the effort was good all around, especially playing against a good team,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris early Monday morning at Weidner Field.  “We need to see out games like that. Coming home we’re looking forward to playing well in front of our crowd. Right now we don’t know who they’ll bring, but they’ve got a lot of players who can get in behind and hurt teams.  [Marvin] Loria and [Dairon] Asprilla are dangerous in front of goal – [Foster] Langsdorf too – so the most important thing for me is that we keep the ball and stay compact on defense. We need to make good decisions on the offensive side of the ball and that will lead us to good opportunities.”

Rony Argueta will again miss out for the Switchbacks on Wednesday night in Colorado Springs, as the all-action midfielder serves a three-game suspension.  “Obviously Rony is a top player and we’re missing his quality ball handling and his tenacity on defense,” said Harris. “We definitely miss Rony in that position, but Jordy [Burt] did a good job on Friday.  I think we put in a really good effort for 87 minutes in Utah but in order to get results on the road we need to go 90 minutes. I believe we deserved at least a point, but we didn’t see the game out well enough.  These next few days we have to manage what we do in practice. We’ll do a lot of finishing drills because we have to work at it in order to take the chances we’re creating.” 

“It’s always good to be home and we’re familiar with Weidner and happy to be back,” said Austin Dewing.  “A lot of what we have to do this week is about taking care of our bodies and seeing what we did well in the last couple games on the road.  We can’t dwell on those games, we just need to adjust accordingly and be ready to get three points on Wednesday.”

Last Friday the Switchbacks fell 1-0 to the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City at Zion’s Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah behind an 86th minute winning goal by the Monarchs’ Damian German.  “I think the effort was good all around, especially playing against a good team,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris early Monday morning at Weidner Field.  “We need to see out games like that. Coming home we’re looking forward to playing well in front of our crowd. Right now we don’t know who they’ll bring, but they’ve got a lot of players who can get in behind and hurt teams.  [Marvin] Loria and [Dairon] Asprilla are dangerous in front of goal – [Foster] Langsdorf too – so the most important thing for me is that we keep the ball and stay compact on defense. We need to make good decisions on the offensive side of the ball and that will lead us to good opportunities.”

Rony Argueta will again miss out for the Switchbacks on Wednesday night in Colorado Springs, as the all-action midfielder serves a three-game suspension.  “Obviously Rony is a top player and we’re missing his quality ball handling and his tenacity on defense,” said Harris. “We definitely miss Rony in that position, but Jordy [Burt] did a good job on Friday.  I think we put in a really good effort for 87 minutes in Utah but in order to get results on the road we need to go 90 minutes. I believe we deserved at least a point, but we didn’t see the game out well enough.  These next few days we have to manage what we do in practice. We’ll do a lot of finishing drills because we have to work at it in order to take the chances we’re creating.” 

“It’s always good to be home and we’re familiar with Weidner and happy to be back,” said Austin Dewing.  “A lot of what we have to do this week is about taking care of our bodies and seeing what we did well in the last couple games on the road.  We can’t dwell on those games, we just need to adjust accordingly and be ready to get three points on Wednesday.”

“The fans are going to give us the energy we need to get the results that we wish we could have in the away games,” said winger Saeed Robinson.  “In all fairness; we’ve been playing well, we just haven’t taken our chances. In the game against Reno we had a lot of chances and we created a lot.  We have to be together as a team and communicate well this week. When we play against T2 we don’t know who to expect because you never know who they’ll bring down, but we hope we can use these two games at home to get some wins and build momentum for the rest of the season.”

Following Wednesday evening’s contest, the Switchbacks will host Back to School Night at Weidner Field against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros with GE Johnson sponsoring a backpack giveaway.  Tickets for the match against RGV can be purchased HERE.

“We’re glad to be back – especially after being on the road for the last two games,” said Jordan Schweitzer on Monday morning.  “It’s good to be back where we’re comfortable following the road trip and there are some positives for us to take into this stretch of games here.”

“The fans are going to give us the energy we need to get the results that we wish we could have in the away games,” said winger Saeed Robinson.  “In all fairness; we’ve been playing well, we just haven’t taken our chances. In the game against Reno we had a lot of chances and we created a lot.  We have to be together as a team and communicate well this week. When we play against T2 we don’t know who to expect because you never know who they’ll bring down, but we hope we can use these two games at home to get some wins and build momentum for the rest of the season.”

Following Wednesday evening’s contest, the Switchbacks will host Back to School Night at Weidner Field against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros with GE Johnson sponsoring a backpack giveaway.  Tickets for the match against RGV can be purchased HERE.

“We’re glad to be back – especially after being on the road for the last two games,” said Jordan Schweitzer on Monday morning.  “It’s good to be back where we’re comfortable following the road trip and there are some positives for us to take into this stretch of games here.”

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Look To Bounce Back Friday Night In Utah

A Friday Four Corners Cup showdown is on tap as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC travel to Zions Bank Stadium to renew their rivalry with the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City in USL Championship action.  On June 22nd the Real Monarchs edged the Switchbacks 2-1 at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs behind late second half goals from Kyle Coffee and Justin Portillo.  Mike Seth had given the Switchbacks the lead after a delightful turn in the box following a left-footed cross from Jordan Schweitzer.  

“We like playing there,” said striker Mike Seth.  It’s a good set-up they have – it’s probably one of the better fields.  This will be a new game from when we played them here. A lot of teams have changed since then and this will be a new game – I think both teams will look at it that way.”

Last Saturday saw both the Switchbacks and Real Monarchs drop points.  San Antonio FC defeated the Real Monarchs 3-1 at Toyota Field, with Honduran midfielder Luis Palma salvaging a goal for the Monarchs after they had been sent down to 10-men following a red card for Cameroonian striker Lionel Abate Etoundi.  

The Real Monarchs have three players who have already scored at least five times in the 2019 USL Championship, as Jack Blake, Maikel Chang, and Douglas Martinez have all been firing for Head Coach Jámison Olave’s club.  David Ochoa started in net for the Monarchs in their aforementioned loss against San Antonio FC, and appears to be the Monarchs’ number one ‘keeper, despite the club having started four different players in net in the 2019 USL Championship season.  Former Switchbacks winger Masta Kacher will not appear for the Real Monarchs on Friday after moving to USL Championship club Saint Louis FC in mid-July.  

A Friday Four Corners Cup showdown is on tap as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC travel to Zions Bank Stadium to renew their rivalry with the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City in USL Championship action.  On June 22nd the Real Monarchs edged the Switchbacks 2-1 at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs behind late second half goals from Kyle Coffee and Justin Portillo.  Mike Seth had given the Switchbacks the lead after a delightful turn in the box following a left-footed cross from Jordan Schweitzer.  

“We like playing there,” said striker Mike Seth.  It’s a good set-up they have – it’s probably one of the better fields.  This will be a new game from when we played them here. A lot of teams have changed since then and this will be a new game – I think both teams will look at it that way.”

Last Saturday saw both the Switchbacks and Real Monarchs drop points.  San Antonio FC defeated the Real Monarchs 3-1 at Toyota Field, with Honduran midfielder Luis Palma salvaging a goal for the Monarchs after they had been sent down to 10-men following a red card for Cameroonian striker Lionel Abate Etoundi.  

The Real Monarchs have three players who have already scored at least five times in the 2019 USL Championship, as Jack Blake, Maikel Chang, and Douglas Martinez have all been firing for Head Coach Jámison Olave’s club.  David Ochoa started in net for the Monarchs in their aforementioned loss against San Antonio FC, and appears to be the Monarchs’ number one ‘keeper, despite the club having started four different players in net in the 2019 USL Championship season.  Former Switchbacks winger Masta Kacher will not appear for the Real Monarchs on Friday after moving to USL Championship club Saint Louis FC in mid-July.  

Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, remains one of the best places to play in the USL Championship.  The Real Monarchs and their Major League Soccer parent club, Real Salt Lake, have created a world-class soccer infrastructure in Utah – which the Switchbacks used during their pre-season preparations for the 2019 campaign.  “It’s a great facility and we’re familiar with it from pre-season and that helps,” said center back Kris Reaves. “It’s really good for us to have the shorter week so we can get right back into it and have a quick turnaround.  We’ll take a look at what we need to focus on later this week.”

“It was good for us to have our preseason in Utah,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris when asked about Friday’s trip across the Rocky Mountains.  “They’re a good team and we know we’ll need to bring our A game on Friday.”  

High-flying Reno 1868 FC defeated the Switchbacks 4-0 at Greater Nevada Field in The Biggest Little City in the World last Saturday, despite the Switchbacks registering 18 shots – 5 of which were saved by 1868 goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski.  

“The short week helps us move on,” confirmed Harris.  “We need to see what we did wrong and correct our mistakes and get a positive result on the road.  We’re going to make some adjustments in order to compete and be as flexible as possible. We’ll work this week to be ruthless in front of goal and make sure we’re psychologically prepared for the moment – we had a lot of chances early last week, we just didn’t take them.”

Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, remains one of the best places to play in the USL Championship.  The Real Monarchs and their Major League Soccer parent club, Real Salt Lake, have created a world-class soccer infrastructure in Utah – which the Switchbacks used during their pre-season preparations for the 2019 campaign.  “It’s a great facility and we’re familiar with it from pre-season and that helps,” said center back Kris Reaves. “It’s really good for us to have the shorter week so we can get right back into it and have a quick turnaround.  We’ll take a look at what we need to focus on later this week.”

“It was good for us to have our preseason in Utah,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris when asked about Friday’s trip across the Rocky Mountains.  “They’re a good team and we know we’ll need to bring our A game on Friday.”  

High-flying Reno 1868 FC defeated the Switchbacks 4-0 at Greater Nevada Field in The Biggest Little City in the World last Saturday, despite the Switchbacks registering 18 shots – 5 of which were saved by 1868 goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski.  

“The short week helps us move on,” confirmed Harris.  “We need to see what we did wrong and correct our mistakes and get a positive result on the road.  We’re going to make some adjustments in order to compete and be as flexible as possible. We’ll work this week to be ruthless in front of goal and make sure we’re psychologically prepared for the moment – we had a lot of chances early last week, we just didn’t take them.”

“It’s always a tough game up there in Utah,” said Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt early on Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs.  “It feels good to have a shorter week to get back out there and make up for what happened last week. We’re excited to get back at it.”

Following Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will host a wild four days at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs.  On Wednesday, August 7th the Switchbacks host the Portland Timbers 2 with Centura Orthopedics and Centura Health sponsoring a cowbell giveaway.  Tickets are available for match against T2 HERE. Three days later, it’s Back to School Night at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks host the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros with GE Johnson sponsoring a backpack giveaway.  Tickets for the match against RGV can be purchased HERE.

Four Corners Cup action will return to Weidner Field on August 31st as the Switchbacks host Phoenix Rising FC on Free Underwear Night, presented by Sheath.

“It’s always a tough game up there in Utah,” said Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt early on Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs.  “It feels good to have a shorter week to get back out there and make up for what happened last week. We’re excited to get back at it.”

Following Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will host a wild four days at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs.  On Wednesday, August 7th the Switchbacks host the Portland Timbers 2 with Centura Orthopedics and Centura Health sponsoring a cowbell giveaway.  Tickets are available for match against T2 HERE. Three days later, it’s Back to School Night at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks host the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros with GE Johnson sponsoring a backpack giveaway.  Tickets for the match against RGV can be purchased HERE.

Four Corners Cup action will return to Weidner Field on August 31st as the Switchbacks host Phoenix Rising FC on Free Underwear Night, presented by Sheath.

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Head To Reno Looking To Keep Momentum

Fresh off back-to-back wins at Weidner Field, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks head to The Biggest Little City in the World this Saturday evening as they face Reno 1869 FC at Greater Nevada Field.  Just six points now separate the Switchbacks and the OKC Energy FC, who currently hold the 10th and final playoff place in the USL Championship Western Conference.  

Reno 1868 FC won their fifth match in a row on Saturday as they defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy II at Dignity Health Sports Park behind a 70th minute winner from Seth Casiple.  Reno 1868 have a chance to move closer to 1st place in the Western Conference on Wednesday evening as Head Coach Ian Russell’s team face off against Orange County SC at Championship Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park on the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Irvine, California.  

Fresh off back-to-back wins at Weidner Field, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks head to The Biggest Little City in the World this Saturday evening as they face Reno 1869 FC at Greater Nevada Field.  Just six points now separate the Switchbacks and the OKC Energy FC, who currently hold the 10th and final playoff place in the USL Championship Western Conference.  

Reno 1868 FC won their fifth match in a row on Saturday as they defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy II at Dignity Health Sports Park behind a 70th minute winner from Seth Casiple.  Reno 1868 have a chance to move closer to 1st place in the Western Conference on Wednesday evening as Head Coach Ian Russell’s team face off against Orange County SC at Championship Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park on the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Irvine, California.  

“They’ve won their last five games – we know they’re in good form,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris when asked about Reno 1868.  “They play a 4-4-2, but they use a diamond in midfield.  I know they’ll be up to playing at home after being away for three games – it’s a good challenge for our guys to see if we can carry this form that we’ve shown on the road.  These two wins give us confidence and we’re doing the little things well but we need to be more consistent, especially going on the road. It’s a challenge to bring consistency and focus and the right mentality, especially in different environments.  I think our whole group is confident that we can achieve a good result in Reno.”

April 13th saw Reno 1868 defeat the Switchbacks 2-0 at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs behind goals from Seth Casiple and Brian Brown.  Jamaican forward Brown will not have a chance to add to his USL Championship goal tally on Saturday after moving to Albania in early July to play for FK Partizani Tirana in Albania’s capital city.

“I’ll re-watch the game from this season to see if they did anything differently than how they have recently because they’ve changed as the season has gone on,” said Harris before the Switchbacks held a film session in Colorado Springs.  “We’re looking forward to carrying our form on the road. [Corey] Hertzog and [Danny] Musovski are good players, and for me, [Seth] Casiple and [Will] Seymour really pull the strings for them. [Lindo] Mfeka at the 10 is very dangerous. Staying compact is the key to our game and especially making sure to not give Reno any space among the lines.”

“They’ve won their last five games – we know they’re in good form,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris when asked about Reno 1868.  “They play a 4-4-2, but they use a diamond in midfield.  I know they’ll be up to playing at home after being away for three games – it’s a good challenge for our guys to see if we can carry this form that we’ve shown on the road.  These two wins give us confidence and we’re doing the little things well but we need to be more consistent, especially going on the road. It’s a challenge to bring consistency and focus and the right mentality, especially in different environments.  I think our whole group is confident that we can achieve a good result in Reno.”

April 13th saw Reno 1868 defeat the Switchbacks 2-0 at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs behind goals from Seth Casiple and Brian Brown.  Jamaican forward Brown will not have a chance to add to his USL Championship goal tally on Saturday after moving to Albania in early July to play for FK Partizani Tirana in Albania’s capital city.

“I’ll re-watch the game from this season to see if they did anything differently than how they have recently because they’ve changed as the season has gone on,” said Harris before the Switchbacks held a film session in Colorado Springs.  “We’re looking forward to carrying our form on the road. [Corey] Hertzog and [Danny] Musovski are good players, and for me, [Seth] Casiple and [Will] Seymour really pull the strings for them. [Lindo] Mfeka at the 10 is very dangerous. Staying compact is the key to our game and especially making sure to not give Reno any space among the lines.”

“I’ve never been to Reno before,” said Austin Dewing.  “I’m expecting a good challenge. We’re in a good place now and we just need to put a good week of practice together before this weekend. Tucker [Bone] and I know some players on Reno from college and we’re looking forward to a good game on Saturday.”  Dewing, a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, played in the Western Athletic Conference for the Falcons against Danny Musovski (UNLV), Aidan Apodaca (California Baptist), and Sergio Rivas and Nathan Aune (both from Seattle University).

The forecasted highs for Saturday evening’s match in northwest Nevada are set to be in the mid 90’s with the Switchbacks looking to replicate their result from the 2018 season that saw the Switchbacks win 4-0 at Greater Nevada Field.

“Reno are on a good run, but we’ve got good momentum now,” said Ish Jome on Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs before being asked about his right-footed winner against the OKC Energy.  “I had a few shots with the right this year that I could have scored from!  I expect to score at least one more with my right foot this year,” said the Switchbacks’ left-back with a smile.   Jome was named to the USL Team of the Week after his whirlwind performance and winning goal against OKC.  “We put in a good performance last weekend and will look to take that to Reno.”

Following Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs before making their way west across the Rocky Mountains to face the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City on Friday, August 2nd.  Wednesday, August 7th will see the Switchbacks return to Weidner Field as they host the Portland Timbers 2 with Centura Orthopedics and Centura Health sponsoring a cowbell giveaway.  Tickets are available for the T2 match HERE. Three days later, it’s Back to School Night at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks host the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros with GE Johnson sponsoring a backpack giveaway.  Tickets for the match against RGV can be purchased HERE.  

“I watched Reno play OKC and they’re in good form,” said Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt.  “They move the ball well and we know it’ll be a challenge.  I’m looking forward to a good game.”

“I’ve never been to Reno before,” said Austin Dewing.  “I’m expecting a good challenge. We’re in a good place now and we just need to put a good week of practice together before this weekend. Tucker [Bone] and I know some players on Reno from college and we’re looking forward to a good game on Saturday.”  Dewing, a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, played in the Western Athletic Conference for the Falcons against Danny Musovski (UNLV), Aidan Apodaca (California Baptist), and Sergio Rivas and Nathan Aune (both from Seattle University).

The forecasted highs for Saturday evening’s match in northwest Nevada are set to be in the mid 90’s with the Switchbacks looking to replicate their result from the 2018 season that saw the Switchbacks win 4-0 at Greater Nevada Field.

“Reno are on a good run, but we’ve got good momentum now,” said Ish Jome on Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs before being asked about his right-footed winner against the OKC Energy.  “I had a few shots with the right this year that I could have scored from!  I expect to score at least one more with my right foot this year,” said the Switchbacks’ left-back with a smile.   Jome was named to the USL Team of the Week after his whirlwind performance and winning goal against OKC.  “We put in a good performance last weekend and will look to take that to Reno.”

Following Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs before making their way west across the Rocky Mountains to face the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City on Friday, August 2nd.  Wednesday, August 7th will see the Switchbacks return to Weidner Field as they host the Portland Timbers 2 with Centura Orthopedics and Centura Health sponsoring a cowbell giveaway.  Tickets are available for the T2 match HERE. Three days later, it’s Back to School Night at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks host the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros with GE Johnson sponsoring a backpack giveaway.  Tickets for the match against RGV can be purchased HERE.  

“I watched Reno play OKC and they’re in good form,” said Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt.  “They move the ball well and we know it’ll be a challenge.  I’m looking forward to a good game.”

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Eager To Finish Home Stand With A Win

It’s Margaritaville Night at Weidner Field this Saturday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Oklahoma City Energy FC with Weidner Apartment Homes sponsoring a jersey T shirt giveaway for the first 700 fans.  Tickets for Saturday’s clash are available HERE. 719 Day Brewfest will return to Weidner Field this Friday, July 19th, and tickets can be purchased HERE.  

Last Saturday saw the Switchbacks vanquish the visiting Tulsa Roughnecks 1-0 behind a terrific header from Shane Malcolm after a pinpoint free kick cross from Ish Jome.  “I’ve not scored for a while and that had been on my mind,” said Malcolm on Tuesday morning. “It shouldn’t have affected me as much as it did, but it felt good to get the goal and we needed the win.”

Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week after his performance in the win against the Tulsa Roughnecks on Saturday.  

On Monday evening the Major League Soccer affiliate of the Switchbacks, the Colorado Rapids, hosted Arsenal of the Premier League at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.  Eight Switchbacks players were available for selection against The Gunners, with six of them making an appearance. Jordan Schweitzer, Matt Hundley, Kwasi Donsu, César Romero, Ish Jome, and Kris Reaves all saw time on the pitch, while Ibrahim Yaro and Andre Rawls were unused substitutes. 

It’s Margaritaville Night at Weidner Field this Saturday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Oklahoma City Energy FC with Weidner Apartment Homes sponsoring a jersey T shirt giveaway for the first 700 fans.  Tickets for Saturday’s clash are available HERE. 719 Day Brewfest will return to Weidner Field this Friday, July 19th, and tickets can be purchased HERE.  

Last Saturday saw the Switchbacks vanquish the visiting Tulsa Roughnecks 1-0 behind a terrific header from Shane Malcolm after a pinpoint free kick cross from Ish Jome.  “I’ve not scored for a while and that had been on my mind,” said Malcolm on Tuesday morning. “It shouldn’t have affected me as much as it did, but it felt good to get the goal and we needed the win.”

Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week after his performance in the win against the Tulsa Roughnecks on Saturday.  

On Monday evening the Major League Soccer affiliate of the Switchbacks, the Colorado Rapids, hosted Arsenal of the Premier League at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.  Eight Switchbacks players were available for selection against The Gunners, with six of them making an appearance. Jordan Schweitzer, Matt Hundley, Kwasi Donsu, César Romero, Ish Jome, and Kris Reaves all saw time on the pitch, while Ibrahim Yaro and Andre Rawls were unused substitutes. 

“It was a great experience,” said Kris Reeves.  “It was kind of surreal – watching those guys like [Alexandre] Lacazette, [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, [Mesut] Özil on TV and then being on the field with them.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

“The game last night was good experience at that level,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris when asked on Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs about the friendly.  “I’m pretty sure our guys will value that experience forever. Some of our guys got some good minutes against players like Özil and Aubameyang and last night shows that our partnership with the Rapids gives a great opportunity for players at the USL level to move up.”

The Oklahoma City Energy FC edged the Switchbacks 1-0 at Taft Stadium in the Sooner State on May 25th behind a sensational strike from Omar Gordon after just 14 minutes.  Gordon has 4 goals for the Energy in the 2019 USL Championship season, trailing teammate and fellow Jamaican Deshorn Brown who has struck 9 times.  Rafael Garcia also has 4 goals for OKC, with the former Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder having scored last Saturday as the Energy held the El Paso Locomotive FC to a 1-1 draw at Taft Stadium.  The Energy will host Reno 1868 FC on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City before heading to Colorado Springs for Saturday’s clash with the Switchbacks.  

“It was a great experience,” said Kris Reeves.  “It was kind of surreal – watching those guys like [Alexandre] Lacazette, [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, [Mesut] Özil on TV and then being on the field with them.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

“The game last night was good experience at that level,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris when asked on Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs about the friendly.  “I’m pretty sure our guys will value that experience forever. Some of our guys got some good minutes against players like Özil and Aubameyang and last night shows that our partnership with the Rapids gives a great opportunity for players at the USL level to move up.”

The Oklahoma City Energy FC edged the Switchbacks 1-0 at Taft Stadium in the Sooner State on May 25th behind a sensational strike from Omar Gordon after just 14 minutes.  Gordon has 4 goals for the Energy in the 2019 USL Championship season, trailing teammate and fellow Jamaican Deshorn Brown who has struck 9 times.  Rafael Garcia also has 4 goals for OKC, with the former Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder having scored last Saturday as the Energy held the El Paso Locomotive FC to a 1-1 draw at Taft Stadium.  The Energy will host Reno 1868 FC on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City before heading to Colorado Springs for Saturday’s clash with the Switchbacks.  

“OKC have good depth and a lot of speed and skill in their squad,” said Wolde Harris.  “Deshorn Brown, [Omar] Gordon, [Cordell] Cato who is another international with OKC, [Je-Vaughn] Watson sits in the middle…we have to be solid on defense and transition well going forward.”  Brown, Gordon, and Watson have all played for the Jamaican National Team, while Cato has been a full international for Trinidad and Tobago since 2014.

“We should be ready to go this weekend after we spend the week building off the performance against Tulsa,” said Kris Reeves.  “We can definitely learn and watch what we did well in that game. OKC are a good team and they’re coming to our field and we know it will be a good game.”

Following Saturday’s match the Switchbacks will head to The Biggest Little City in the World to face Reno 1868 FC at Greater Nevada Field on July 27th.

“This week it will be very important to focus on quality in possession,” said Harris.  “That quality is a factor in us having success late in games and finishing games like we did on Saturday.  We need to improve playing out of the back as we work together to get better each week. We had another good crowd last week and we’re looking forward to the same or better this weekend.  Hopefully Colorado Springs gets behind us and comes out again.”

The Switchbacks return to Weidner Field for a Wednesday night clash against the Portland Timbers 2 on August 7th, with Centura Orthopedics and Centura Health sponsoring a pregame cowbell giveaway and tickets are available HERE.  Just three days later the Switchbacks will host the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros at Weidner Field on Back to School Night, with a pre-game backpack giveaway courtesy of GE Johnson.

“There’s a real chance we can win,” said Saeed Robinson about Saturday’s match.  “We have more confidence than we’ve had in a long while and it’s always good to play at home – nobody wants to come in here and play us.”

“OKC have good depth and a lot of speed and skill in their squad,” said Wolde Harris.  “Deshorn Brown, [Omar] Gordon, [Cordell] Cato who is another international with OKC, [Je-Vaughn] Watson sits in the middle…we have to be solid on defense and transition well going forward.”  Brown, Gordon, and Watson have all played for the Jamaican National Team, while Cato has been a full international for Trinidad and Tobago since 2014.

“We should be ready to go this weekend after we spend the week building off the performance against Tulsa,” said Kris Reeves.  “We can definitely learn and watch what we did well in that game. OKC are a good team and they’re coming to our field and we know it will be a good game.”

Following Saturday’s match the Switchbacks will head to The Biggest Little City in the World to face Reno 1868 FC at Greater Nevada Field on July 27th.

“This week it will be very important to focus on quality in possession,” said Harris.  “That quality is a factor in us having success late in games and finishing games like we did on Saturday.  We need to improve playing out of the back as we work together to get better each week. We had another good crowd last week and we’re looking forward to the same or better this weekend.  Hopefully Colorado Springs gets behind us and comes out again.”

The Switchbacks return to Weidner Field for a Wednesday night clash against the Portland Timbers 2 on August 7th, with Centura Orthopedics and Centura Health sponsoring a pregame cowbell giveaway and tickets are available HERE.  Just three days later the Switchbacks will host the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros at Weidner Field on Back to School Night, with a pre-game backpack giveaway courtesy of GE Johnson.

“There’s a real chance we can win,” said Saeed Robinson about Saturday’s match.  “We have more confidence than we’ve had in a long while and it’s always good to play at home – nobody wants to come in here and play us.”

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Host Tulsa In Midsummer Clash

It’s Movie Night at Weidner Field this Saturday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Tulsa Roughnecks FC in a USL Championship clash.  The Better Business Bureau will be sponsoring the third part of the poster giveaway series for the first 500 fans in attendance at Weidner Field, with tickets for Saturday’s clash available HERE.  

The Roughnecks shored up their defense in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers 2 after a brutal stretch from June 7th to the 29th saw Head Coach Michael Nsien’s men outscored 16-1 in four consecutive defeats.  Brazilian Luca Lobo leads Tulsa’s goal-charts in the 2019 USL Championship with seven – just a single goal above countryman Rodrigo da Costa.  Portuguese hitman Janu Silva has five goals to his name, while Honduran Cristhian Altamirano has scored four times.  

It’s Movie Night at Weidner Field this Saturday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Tulsa Roughnecks FC in a USL Championship clash.  The Better Business Bureau will be sponsoring the third part of the poster giveaway series for the first 500 fans in attendance at Weidner Field, with tickets for Saturday’s clash available HERE.  

The Roughnecks shored up their defense in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers 2 after a brutal stretch from June 7th to the 29th saw Head Coach Michael Nsien’s men outscored 16-1 in four consecutive defeats.  Brazilian Luca Lobo leads Tulsa’s goal-charts in the 2019 USL Championship with seven – just a single goal above countryman Rodrigo da Costa.  Portuguese hitman Janu Silva has five goals to his name, while Honduran Cristhian Altamirano has scored four times.  

“Tulsa were unlucky on the road against Portland,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris.  “They’re a dangerous team and they present a lot of challenges for us. We need to be solid defensively and transfer the things we’ve been working on into the game.  Building on the positivity from last week is important and we’ll need to stay disciplined against a good team.”

Former Switchbacks Tobenna Uzo and AJ Ajeakwa have both been held scoreless this season for the Roughnecks, with Ajeakwa making 11 appearances in the USL Championship, while Uzo has come off the bench 7 times for Tulsa this season.  Tulsa’s Haitian defender Fredlin Mompremier was sent off in the 96th minute against the Timbers 2 and will be unavailable against the Switchbacks on Saturday.  After picking up his second yellow card of the match, midfielder Brayan Reyes was also sent off in stoppage time against T2, and he too will miss Saturday’s match at Weidner Field. 

Mason Stajduhar, who is on-loan from Orlando City SC of Major League Soccer, kept a clean sheet against the Switchbacks on April 24th at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, as the Roughnecks ended the game 2-0 winners.  Stajduhar started in the Roughnecks’ 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers 2 last Saturday at Providence Park in the Rose City.  Rio de Janeiro native Rodrigo da Costa notched a second half brace against the Switchbacks in the Roughnecks’ aforementioned win in April.

“Tulsa were unlucky on the road against Portland,” said Switchbacks Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris.  “They’re a dangerous team and they present a lot of challenges for us. We need to be solid defensively and transfer the things we’ve been working on into the game.  Building on the positivity from last week is important and we’ll need to stay disciplined against a good team.”

Former Switchbacks Tobenna Uzo and AJ Ajeakwa have both been held scoreless this season for the Roughnecks, with Ajeakwa making 11 appearances in the USL Championship, while Uzo has come off the bench 7 times for Tulsa this season.  Tulsa’s Haitian defender Fredlin Mompremier was sent off in the 96th minute against the Timbers 2 and will be unavailable against the Switchbacks on Saturday.  After picking up his second yellow card of the match, midfielder Brayan Reyes was also sent off in stoppage time against T2, and he too will miss Saturday’s match at Weidner Field. 

Mason Stajduhar, who is on-loan from Orlando City SC of Major League Soccer, kept a clean sheet against the Switchbacks on April 24th at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, as the Roughnecks ended the game 2-0 winners.  Stajduhar started in the Roughnecks’ 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers 2 last Saturday at Providence Park in the Rose City.  Rio de Janeiro native Rodrigo da Costa notched a second half brace against the Switchbacks in the Roughnecks’ aforementioned win in April.

Rony Argueta scored a superb goal to give the Switchbacks the lead just after halftime last Thursday against Orange County SC, before OC recovered to win 2-1 at Weidner Field on Independence Day in front of a record crowd.  “We’ve been training well,” said Argueta on Tuesday afternoon at the Pride Soccer complex in eastern Colorado Springs. “We’re looking to build off what we did well in the game against OC where we were good in the attack, but we’ve got to be more clinical in front of goal.  Our final product has to improve and we need to find a way to get the ball in the net when we have good chances. We’ve been getting a lot of information in training and we need to take it into Saturday and get a result.”

“There’s no secret formula for us right now – we’re having our growing pains and we just have to keep working to get more disciplined,” said Shane Malcolm.  “Nothing is promised. We all need to play our role and build off each other.”

Former Air Force Academy Falcons Tucker Bone and Austin Dewing were introduced as second half substitutes against Orange County on Independence Day, with both impressing Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris.  “They added energy and they reacted really well,” said Harris. “They did what we wanted and needed. They both have a really good work ethic and we’re just looking right now to slowly integrate them into the team.  Both had good opportunities to score last week and they gave us something in the attack.”

Rony Argueta scored a superb goal to give the Switchbacks the lead just after halftime last Thursday against Orange County SC, before OC recovered to win 2-1 at Weidner Field on Independence Day in front of a record crowd.  “We’ve been training well,” said Argueta on Tuesday afternoon at the Pride Soccer complex in eastern Colorado Springs. “We’re looking to build off what we did well in the game against OC where we were good in the attack, but we’ve got to be more clinical in front of goal.  Our final product has to improve and we need to find a way to get the ball in the net when we have good chances. We’ve been getting a lot of information in training and we need to take it into Saturday and get a result.”

“There’s no secret formula for us right now – we’re having our growing pains and we just have to keep working to get more disciplined,” said Shane Malcolm.  “Nothing is promised. We all need to play our role and build off each other.”

Former Air Force Academy Falcons Tucker Bone and Austin Dewing were introduced as second half substitutes against Orange County on Independence Day, with both impressing Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris.  “They added energy and they reacted really well,” said Harris. “They did what we wanted and needed. They both have a really good work ethic and we’re just looking right now to slowly integrate them into the team.  Both had good opportunities to score last week and they gave us something in the attack.”

719 Day Brewfest returns to Weidner Field on July 19th, and tickets can be purchased HERE.  The Switchbacks will finish their three-game home stand on July 20th against the Oklahoma City Energy FC on Margaritaville, with a pre-game free jersey T Shirt giveaway courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes.  Tickets are available HERE.  

“I think the crowd last week was phenomenal – hopefully we see Colorado Springs in big numbers at Weidner Field on Saturday,” said Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris.  Independence Day saw an all-time record crowd at Weidner Field last Thursday evening. “We’re looking forward to another big crowd being behind us on Saturday.”

719 Day Brewfest returns to Weidner Field on July 19th, and tickets can be purchased HERE.  The Switchbacks will finish their three-game home stand on July 20th against the Oklahoma City Energy FC on Margaritaville, with a pre-game free jersey T Shirt giveaway courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes.  Tickets are available HERE.  

“I think the crowd last week was phenomenal – hopefully we see Colorado Springs in big numbers at Weidner Field on Saturday,” said Interim Head Coach Wolde Harris.  Independence Day saw an all-time record crowd at Weidner Field last Thursday evening. “We’re looking forward to another big crowd being behind us on Saturday.”

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Host Orange County For 4th Of July Fireworks Spectacular

The largest fireworks show in Southern Colorado is on-tap on Independence Day as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host Orange County SC at Weidner Field on Thursday evening.  The first 600 fans at Weidner Field will receive a Switchbacks blanket, courtesy of Oakwood Homes, with tickets for Thursday’s clash still available HERE.  

Thursday’s match against Orange County will be the first of three games in a row for the Switchbacks at Weidner Field.  On July 13th, the Switchbacks host the Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Movie Night, with the Better Business Bureau sponsoring the third part of the Switchbacks’ poster giveaway series.  A week later the Switchbacks welcome the Oklahoma City Energy FC to Weidner Field for Margaritaville, with a free jersey T Shirt giveaway pre-game courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes. 

On Friday evening, Jon Eddy Productions will present Billy Ray Cyrus and Johnny McGuire at Weidner Field, complete with a post-concert fireworks show.  Kimberly Dunn and The Tyler Walker Band will open the show in Colorado Springs, with tickets still available HERE. 

Orange County SC arrive in Colorado Springs having lost their last three matches in the 2019 USL Championship.  Last Saturday, Head Coach Braeden Cloutier’s team fell 2-1 to the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy II at Championship Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park in Irvine, California. 

The largest fireworks show in Southern Colorado is on-tap on Independence Day as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host Orange County SC at Weidner Field on Thursday evening.  The first 600 fans at Weidner Field will receive a Switchbacks blanket, courtesy of Oakwood Homes, with tickets for Thursday’s clash still available HERE.  

Thursday’s match against Orange County will be the first of three games in a row for the Switchbacks at Weidner Field.  On July 13th, the Switchbacks host the Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Movie Night, with the Better Business Bureau sponsoring the third part of the Switchbacks’ poster giveaway series.  A week later the Switchbacks welcome the Oklahoma City Energy FC to Weidner Field for Margaritaville, with a free jersey T Shirt giveaway pre-game courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes. 

On Friday evening, Jon Eddy Productions will present Billy Ray Cyrus and Johnny McGuire at Weidner Field, complete with a post-concert fireworks show.  Kimberly Dunn and The Tyler Walker Band will open the show in Colorado Springs, with tickets still available HERE. 

Orange County SC arrive in Colorado Springs having lost their last three matches in the 2019 USL Championship.  Last Saturday, Head Coach Braeden Cloutier’s team fell 2-1 to the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy II at Championship Soccer Stadium at OC Great Park in Irvine, California. 

“OC are on a little bit of a skid too,” said Switchbacks striker Mike Seth on Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs.  “Thursday will be a good opportunity to see where we are and to give a good performance.”

The Switchbacks fell 2-0 on April 6th to Orange County SC on the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Irvine, California.  Darwin Jones notched a brace against the Switchbacks on April 6th, and the former University of Washington Husky is now atop OC’s goal-scoring charts with six goals in the 2019 USL Championship.  Dutch midfielder Jerry van Ewijk is tied for OC’s lead in assists with Aodhan Quinn, while former Chicago Fire goalkeeper Patrick McLain is OC’s undisputed first-choice ‘keeper. 

Last weekend saw the Switchbacks lose in Texas’ capitol city 5-0 to the Austin Bold FC under a blanket of oppressive Lone Star State summer heat.  Former Jamaican international Wolde Harris will take charge of the Switchbacks as interim Head Coach on Thursday, after the Switchbacks parted ways with long-time Head Coach Steve Trittschuh on Monday morning.  

“It’s definitely good to get back on the field quickly,” said Harris.  “The guys have had a chance to think about what happened last weekend and learn from it and they’re looking forward to the opportunity to get back to it this week.  Orange County have good players. [Darwin] Jones, [Jerry] van Ewijk, Vinicius, [Michael] Seaton as well, and [Aodhan] Quinn who likes to run the show for them.”

“OC are on a little bit of a skid too,” said Switchbacks striker Mike Seth on Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs.  “Thursday will be a good opportunity to see where we are and to give a good performance.”

The Switchbacks fell 2-0 on April 6th to Orange County SC on the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Irvine, California.  Darwin Jones notched a brace against the Switchbacks on April 6th, and the former University of Washington Husky is now atop OC’s goal-scoring charts with six goals in the 2019 USL Championship.  Dutch midfielder Jerry van Ewijk is tied for OC’s lead in assists with Aodhan Quinn, while former Chicago Fire goalkeeper Patrick McLain is OC’s undisputed first-choice ‘keeper. 

Last weekend saw the Switchbacks lose in Texas’ capitol city 5-0 to the Austin Bold FC under a blanket of oppressive Lone Star State summer heat.  Former Jamaican international Wolde Harris will take charge of the Switchbacks as interim Head Coach on Thursday, after the Switchbacks parted ways with long-time Head Coach Steve Trittschuh on Monday morning.  

“It’s definitely good to get back on the field quickly,” said Harris.  “The guys have had a chance to think about what happened last weekend and learn from it and they’re looking forward to the opportunity to get back to it this week.  Orange County have good players. [Darwin] Jones, [Jerry] van Ewijk, Vinicius, [Michael] Seaton as well, and [Aodhan] Quinn who likes to run the show for them.”

“Thursday will have two teams who are looking for a win that they need,” said Shane Malcolm.  “At the end of the day, it will be about who has the most composure and the will to win and get a result and who is ready to give everything.”

At the time of writing, just five points separate the Switchbacks from the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros who currently occupy 13th place in the USL Championship’s Western Conference.  The playoff line is currently three points above the Toros.  Wins for the Switchbacks in their three-match home stand at Weidner Field that begins on Thursday night would see Wolde Harris’ team vault into the thick of the Western Conference playoff push.  

“Thursday will have two teams who are looking for a win that they need,” said Shane Malcolm.  “At the end of the day, it will be about who has the most composure and the will to win and get a result and who is ready to give everything.”

At the time of writing, just five points separate the Switchbacks from the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros who currently occupy 13th place in the USL Championship’s Western Conference.  The playoff line is currently three points above the Toros.  Wins for the Switchbacks in their three-match home stand at Weidner Field that begins on Thursday night would see Wolde Harris’ team vault into the thick of the Western Conference playoff push.  

“Based on our previous results, it’s important for us to build a good defensive foundation,” said interim Head Coach Harris when asked about what his team will focus on after taking charge of the Switchbacks mid-season.  “Having a good defensive base and making sure we’re in good defensive positions is where we have to start, and then we will learn to attack off that. As we get more comfortable we’ll look to expand the attack and get in behind teams more often.  We should have a good crowd at home this week and we’ll use that.”

The Switchbacks will have the weekend free from matches, before welcoming both teams from the Sooner State to Colorado Springs.  Tickets for the matches against the Tulsa Roughnecks FC on July 13th are available HERE, while fans can purchase seats for the visit of the Oklahoma City Energy FC HERE. 

“Based on our previous results, it’s important for us to build a good defensive foundation,” said interim Head Coach Harris when asked about what his team will focus on after taking charge of the Switchbacks mid-season.  “Having a good defensive base and making sure we’re in good defensive positions is where we have to start, and then we will learn to attack off that. As we get more comfortable we’ll look to expand the attack and get in behind teams more often.  We should have a good crowd at home this week and we’ll use that.”

The Switchbacks will have the weekend free from matches, before welcoming both teams from the Sooner State to Colorado Springs.  Tickets for the matches against the Tulsa Roughnecks FC on July 13th are available HERE, while fans can purchase seats for the visit of the Oklahoma City Energy FC HERE. 

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Geared Up For First Ever Meeting With Austin Bold

A journey to Texas’ capitol city is on-deck for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC as they make their way to Bold Stadium to face the Austin Bold FC on Saturday evening for a USL Championship clash. 

Brazilian André Lima took sole possession of the top of the Bold’s scoring charts after his winner against the RGV FC Toros last Saturday.  Fellow Brazilian Kléber Giacomazzi and Austin, Texas local Kris Tyrpak have each scored four times for the Bold in 2019 USL Championship action.  Rio de Janeiro native André Lima is with his sixteenth club since 2004, having played professionally in Brazil, Belgium, Germany, and China. Kléber spent his formative footballing years in the São Paulo FC system before logging half a decade with Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine’s capitol.  Former Switchbacks defender Sean McFarlane has made 15 starts for the Bold in 2019.  

A journey to Texas’ capitol city is on-deck for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC as they make their way to Bold Stadium to face the Austin Bold FC on Saturday evening for a USL Championship clash. 

Brazilian André Lima took sole possession of the top of the Bold’s scoring charts after his winner against the RGV FC Toros last Saturday.  Fellow Brazilian Kléber Giacomazzi and Austin, Texas local Kris Tyrpak have each scored four times for the Bold in 2019 USL Championship action.  Rio de Janeiro native André Lima is with his sixteenth club since 2004, having played professionally in Brazil, Belgium, Germany, and China. Kléber spent his formative footballing years in the São Paulo FC system before logging half a decade with Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine’s capitol.  Former Switchbacks defender Sean McFarlane has made 15 starts for the Bold in 2019.  

“Kléber and Lima up top are really good players and Tyrpak is always a dangerous player in this league,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh on Tuesday afternoon in Colorado Springs.  “We have to be aware of all of them. Sean McFarlane at right back gets forward a lot for them. We have got to be quick in transition and on counter attacks and make sure we’re not getting caught out.  We’ve got to deal with the heat too, but we know that. It’s just one of the things this time of year. When teams come here they have to deal with the altitude, and it’s been good that it’s gotten warmer here before we leave for Austin because that’s helped us prepare.  We dealt with it fine in RGV and it should be a little cooler in Austin.”

Jamaican defender Jermaine Taylor was named to the bench of the USL Championship Team of the Week after his performance against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros in a narrow 1-0 defeat last weekend at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  Meanwhile, Russian midfielder Valeriy Saramoutin will be suspended for the match on Saturday against the Switchbacks as the midfielder picked up his fifth yellow card of the 2019 USL Championship season last weekend.  

“Austin are an experienced team,” added Trittschuh.  “They have former MLS players and guys with a lot of international experience.  They know how to play together and control the tempo of the game. They attack a lot – especially at home – so we need to make sure we’re in good spots in transition and that we’re playing quickly.”

“Kléber and Lima up top are really good players and Tyrpak is always a dangerous player in this league,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh on Tuesday afternoon in Colorado Springs.  “We have to be aware of all of them. Sean McFarlane at right back gets forward a lot for them. We have got to be quick in transition and on counter attacks and make sure we’re not getting caught out.  We’ve got to deal with the heat too, but we know that. It’s just one of the things this time of year. When teams come here they have to deal with the altitude, and it’s been good that it’s gotten warmer here before we leave for Austin because that’s helped us prepare.  We dealt with it fine in RGV and it should be a little cooler in Austin.”

Jamaican defender Jermaine Taylor was named to the bench of the USL Championship Team of the Week after his performance against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros in a narrow 1-0 defeat last weekend at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  Meanwhile, Russian midfielder Valeriy Saramoutin will be suspended for the match on Saturday against the Switchbacks as the midfielder picked up his fifth yellow card of the 2019 USL Championship season last weekend.  

“Austin are an experienced team,” added Trittschuh.  “They have former MLS players and guys with a lot of international experience.  They know how to play together and control the tempo of the game. They attack a lot – especially at home – so we need to make sure we’re in good spots in transition and that we’re playing quickly.”

“I expect a good, professional performance from Austin because they have a lot of mature players and they’ve done well this season,” said winger Saeed Robinson.  “I’m always excited to play in Texas because I went to junior college in west Texas and I’ll have some people coming to watch the game, but the focus is about getting a win and getting last weekend out of our minds.”

“Austin can be hot and cold, but they’re good at home,” said Shane Malcolm.  “I know Sean McFarlane and it will be good to see him – he’s a staple in that back line in Austin and he’s a good, strong defender.”

Former Air Force Academy Falcon Austin Dewing appeared in his first game for the Switchbacks at Weidner Field last Saturday as a second half substitute against the Real Monarchs SLC.  “It felt great – it’s what I’ve been working towards,” said Austin Dewing about his debut at Weidner Field. “Austin [Bold FC] will come out firing – they’ve seen that we’ve lost the last two games – and they’ll try to get on us early, so we have to be ready for that.”  Fellow new Switchbacks signing and Air Force Academy graduate Tucker Bone will be available for Saturday’s match in Texas.  

“I expect a good, professional performance from Austin because they have a lot of mature players and they’ve done well this season,” said winger Saeed Robinson.  “I’m always excited to play in Texas because I went to junior college in west Texas and I’ll have some people coming to watch the game, but the focus is about getting a win and getting last weekend out of our minds.”

“Austin can be hot and cold, but they’re good at home,” said Shane Malcolm.  “I know Sean McFarlane and it will be good to see him – he’s a staple in that back line in Austin and he’s a good, strong defender.”

Former Air Force Academy Falcon Austin Dewing appeared in his first game for the Switchbacks at Weidner Field last Saturday as a second half substitute against the Real Monarchs SLC.  “It felt great – it’s what I’ve been working towards,” said Austin Dewing about his debut at Weidner Field. “Austin [Bold FC] will come out firing – they’ve seen that we’ve lost the last two games – and they’ll try to get on us early, so we have to be ready for that.”  Fellow new Switchbacks signing and Air Force Academy graduate Tucker Bone will be available for Saturday’s match in Texas.  

Saturday’s forecast for Bold Stadium in Austin – which is part of the sweeping Circuit of the Americas complex – will be in the mid 90’s.  “We need to focus on us and on our game,” said center back Kris Reaves. “This week we need to train hard and get better. Luckily for us, we just came back from McAllen so the heat shouldn’t affect us or be a factor in the game.”

“We were just down in Texas so the heat won’t be as much of a shock,” said Sam Raben, referring to the Switchbacks’ contest in Edinburg, Texas on June 15th at H-E-B Park.  “We’re not as worried about the heat as we are playing our game on Saturday and getting back to winning.”

The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field in Colorado Springs for a 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular against Orange County SC that includes a pre-game blanket giveaway, courtesy of Oakwood Homes, with tickets available HERE.  


On July 5th, Jon Eddy Productions will present Billy Ray Cyrus and Johnny McGuire at Weidner Field, with a post-concert fireworks show.  Kimberly Dunn and The Tyler Walker Band will open the show in Colorado Springs, with tickets still available HERE.

Saturday’s forecast for Bold Stadium in Austin – which is part of the sweeping Circuit of the Americas complex – will be in the mid 90’s.  “We need to focus on us and on our game,” said center back Kris Reaves. “This week we need to train hard and get better. Luckily for us, we just came back from McAllen so the heat shouldn’t affect us or be a factor in the game.”

“We were just down in Texas so the heat won’t be as much of a shock,” said Sam Raben, referring to the Switchbacks’ contest in Edinburg, Texas on June 15th at H-E-B Park.  “We’re not as worried about the heat as we are playing our game on Saturday and getting back to winning.”

The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field in Colorado Springs for a 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular against Orange County SC that includes a pre-game blanket giveaway, courtesy of Oakwood Homes, with tickets available HERE.  


On July 5th, Jon Eddy Productions will present Billy Ray Cyrus and Johnny McGuire at Weidner Field, with a post-concert fireworks show.  Kimberly Dunn and The Tyler Walker Band will open the show in Colorado Springs, with tickets still available HERE.

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Aim To Move Up Four Corner's Cup Standings

Four Corners Cup action and summer fireworks return to Weidner Field this Saturday as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City.  Colorado Technical University will be sponsoring a pre-game T Shirt giveaway for the first 500 fans and a post-match fireworks display.

The Real Monarchs have not played since notching a 5-3 win over the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on June 8th at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.  Honduran striker Douglas Martinez notched a brace against RGV FC, while the Monarchs’ leading goal scorer Maikel Chang added to his club-topping goal tally of six with a 22nd minute strike.  Former Switchbacks winger Masta Kacher started for the Monarchs before eventually being substituted just before full-time.

Real Salt Lake, the Major League Soccer parent club of the Real Monarchs, will visit the Chicago Fire on Saturday evening in a matchup of cross-conference MLS clubs who are both chasing a playoff spot.  The Monarchs, just like their big brothers of Real Salt Lake, are a possession based team who attempt vanquishing opponents through a thousand passes and constant off the ball movement, although in 2019 the Monarchs have, at times, adopted a more straightforward approach according to Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh: “Martinez is a very good player.  Chang is playing well at the moment too. He has the freedom to move in their system so we have to limit his space and stay compact defensively. They can be direct and they look over the top so we’ve got to be ready for that and ready to play. They still want to keep the ball and move opponents side to side, but they’ll be more direct when they need to and we have to be aware of that on Saturday.  We need to keep pressure on the ball and force them to pass when they’re uncomfortable.”

Four Corners Cup action and summer fireworks return to Weidner Field this Saturday as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City.  Colorado Technical University will be sponsoring a pre-game T Shirt giveaway for the first 500 fans and a post-match fireworks display.

The Real Monarchs have not played since notching a 5-3 win over the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on June 8th at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.  Honduran striker Douglas Martinez notched a brace against RGV FC, while the Monarchs’ leading goal scorer Maikel Chang added to his club-topping goal tally of six with a 22nd minute strike.  Former Switchbacks winger Masta Kacher started for the Monarchs before eventually being substituted just before full-time.

Real Salt Lake, the Major League Soccer parent club of the Real Monarchs, will visit the Chicago Fire on Saturday evening in a matchup of cross-conference MLS clubs who are both chasing a playoff spot.  The Monarchs, just like their big brothers of Real Salt Lake, are a possession based team who attempt vanquishing opponents through a thousand passes and constant off the ball movement, although in 2019 the Monarchs have, at times, adopted a more straightforward approach according to Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh: “Martinez is a very good player.  Chang is playing well at the moment too. He has the freedom to move in their system so we have to limit his space and stay compact defensively. They can be direct and they look over the top so we’ve got to be ready for that and ready to play. They still want to keep the ball and move opponents side to side, but they’ll be more direct when they need to and we have to be aware of that on Saturday.  We need to keep pressure on the ball and force them to pass when they’re uncomfortable.”

“The Monarchs sometimes get a decent number of first-teamers playing with them but they’re a good side no matter what,” said Switchbacks striker Mike Seth early Tuesday morning.  “We have just got to focus on ourselves and prepare the best we can. We need to try to get back in the swing of things after our extended stay in Texas and try to get our bodies right for the weekend.”

A hectic day of botched travel followed the Switchbacks’ loss in Edinburg, Texas to the RGV FC Toros on Saturday evening.  With a spring storm rolling through north Texas, the Switchbacks were unable to connect through Dallas Fort Worth International after leaving McAllen, Texas and were eventually rerouted through Austin.   

“It actually turned out ok because the guys spent time together talking and bonding,” said Trittschuh.  “We didn’t get back to town until around midnight on Monday, but with it being about the weather, it was out of our hands.  We had to sit on the plane for about three hours in Austin, but we’ve got this week to get that out of our system and be ready for Saturday.”

“The Monarchs sometimes get a decent number of first-teamers playing with them but they’re a good side no matter what,” said Switchbacks striker Mike Seth early Tuesday morning.  “We have just got to focus on ourselves and prepare the best we can. We need to try to get back in the swing of things after our extended stay in Texas and try to get our bodies right for the weekend.”

A hectic day of botched travel followed the Switchbacks’ loss in Edinburg, Texas to the RGV FC Toros on Saturday evening.  With a spring storm rolling through north Texas, the Switchbacks were unable to connect through Dallas Fort Worth International after leaving McAllen, Texas and were eventually rerouted through Austin.   

“It actually turned out ok because the guys spent time together talking and bonding,” said Trittschuh.  “We didn’t get back to town until around midnight on Monday, but with it being about the weather, it was out of our hands.  We had to sit on the plane for about three hours in Austin, but we’ve got this week to get that out of our system and be ready for Saturday.”

“That was a different experience for us,” said midfielder Jordan Schweitzer.  “Not many guys on the team have experienced that kind of day. But as with everything, we tried to make the most of it while we were waiting to get home.  Salt Lake will be fresh so we expect a team that’s eager to play and chomping at the bit to get back to live games. We have to focus on a good week of preparation.”

A bright spot in the Switchbacks’ loss last Saturday were the club debuts of former United States Air Force Academy standouts Tucker Bone and Austin Dewing.  

“Of course I would have liked a much better result, but that being said; it was an absolute thrill to be on the field and working hard and trying to make this team better,” said Austin Dewing.  “We played Salt Lake in the preseason – they’re a very good team. We have a lot of respect for every team in this league and we approach each game and every team with the same attitude. It’s going to be a good game and I’m glad to be a part of this group.”

“That was a different experience for us,” said midfielder Jordan Schweitzer.  “Not many guys on the team have experienced that kind of day. But as with everything, we tried to make the most of it while we were waiting to get home.  Salt Lake will be fresh so we expect a team that’s eager to play and chomping at the bit to get back to live games. We have to focus on a good week of preparation.”

A bright spot in the Switchbacks’ loss last Saturday were the club debuts of former United States Air Force Academy standouts Tucker Bone and Austin Dewing.  

“Of course I would have liked a much better result, but that being said; it was an absolute thrill to be on the field and working hard and trying to make this team better,” said Austin Dewing.  “We played Salt Lake in the preseason – they’re a very good team. We have a lot of respect for every team in this league and we approach each game and every team with the same attitude. It’s going to be a good game and I’m glad to be a part of this group.”

“It felt good to get out there and get those first jitters out of my system,” said Tucker Bone.  “I’m looking forward to getting more time and building with the team and playing my game and doing everything to help the team get results.”

“They both did well when they came in and gave us something different,” said Trittschuh of the debuts of Dewing and Bone.  “We have some options now and César [Romero] is back with us too. I’ve told the guys that we’ve left it open this week – the players who are training well this week will play on Saturday and it’s our job to make sure that the players who are ready and showing the desire to play are out there this weekend.”


After Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will make their first trip to Bold Stadium as they face the expansion Austin Bold FC on June 29th.  The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field to host Orange County SC on a 4th of July Spectacular, with post game fireworks presented by Oakwood Homes and a pre-match blanket giveaway.

“It felt good to get out there and get those first jitters out of my system,” said Tucker Bone.  “I’m looking forward to getting more time and building with the team and playing my game and doing everything to help the team get results.”

“They both did well when they came in and gave us something different,” said Trittschuh of the debuts of Dewing and Bone.  “We have some options now and César [Romero] is back with us too. I’ve told the guys that we’ve left it open this week – the players who are training well this week will play on Saturday and it’s our job to make sure that the players who are ready and showing the desire to play are out there this weekend.”


After Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will make their first trip to Bold Stadium as they face the expansion Austin Bold FC on June 29th.  The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field to host Orange County SC on a 4th of July Spectacular, with post game fireworks presented by Oakwood Homes and a pre-match blanket giveaway.

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Look To Win Three In A Row

After back-to-back wins in the USL Championship, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC head south to the Texas – Mexico border this Saturday to take on the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros at H-E-B Park in Edinburg.

Goals from Jordan Burt, Ish Jome, and 16-year-old debutant Logan Dorsey saw the Switchbacks run away as 3-0 winners at Weidner Field last Saturday against the Tacoma Defiance in one of the Switchbacks’ most complete performances of 2019.  

After back-to-back wins in the USL Championship, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC head south to the Texas – Mexico border this Saturday to take on the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros at H-E-B Park in Edinburg.

Goals from Jordan Burt, Ish Jome, and 16-year-old debutant Logan Dorsey saw the Switchbacks run away as 3-0 winners at Weidner Field last Saturday against the Tacoma Defiance in one of the Switchbacks’ most complete performances of 2019.  

Ish Jome was named to his second-straight USL Championship Team of the Week after his showing against the Tacoma Defiance.  Jome scored a fine third goal for the Switchbacks just before full-time after a pin-point through-ball from Mike Seth.

“Again, it’s good to be recognized by the league,” said Jome on Thursday morning at Weidner Field.  “We’ve got to keep up our team performances because that’s how individuals get recognized. Going to RGV and dealing with the conditions there is a mental thing.  We’re coming from altitude, so that will help, but the heat will be a factor. If we pace ourselves we should be fine and we’re looking forward to Saturday.”

“It’s good for Ish,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “I’ve told the guys from day one that if we have success as a team, the players will get individual awards.  All in all, the guys stepped up. It was a good team effort against Tacoma and we’ve got to keep doing that. We let Tacoma play too much early – we were a bit flat in the first half, so we’ve got to come out and be ready and play with the right attitude this weekend.”

Conditions on Saturday in Edinburg will be hovering around triple digits, with precipitation as unlikely as a mid-game UFO sighting.  “I’m looking forward to it,” said Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt. “It’s an amazing field that’s really good to play on. Both teams will have to deal with the heat – we are just focused on what we do best and getting another win.”

Ish Jome was named to his second-straight USL Championship Team of the Week after his showing against the Tacoma Defiance.  Jome scored a fine third goal for the Switchbacks just before full-time after a pin-point through-ball from Mike Seth.

“Again, it’s good to be recognized by the league,” said Jome on Thursday morning at Weidner Field.  “We’ve got to keep up our team performances because that’s how individuals get recognized. Going to RGV and dealing with the conditions there is a mental thing.  We’re coming from altitude, so that will help, but the heat will be a factor. If we pace ourselves we should be fine and we’re looking forward to Saturday.”

“It’s good for Ish,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “I’ve told the guys from day one that if we have success as a team, the players will get individual awards.  All in all, the guys stepped up. It was a good team effort against Tacoma and we’ve got to keep doing that. We let Tacoma play too much early – we were a bit flat in the first half, so we’ve got to come out and be ready and play with the right attitude this weekend.”

Conditions on Saturday in Edinburg will be hovering around triple digits, with precipitation as unlikely as a mid-game UFO sighting.  “I’m looking forward to it,” said Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt. “It’s an amazing field that’s really good to play on. Both teams will have to deal with the heat – we are just focused on what we do best and getting another win.”

“I really like playing there,” said Saeed Robinson.  “We need to make sure we come out with a positive result.  It’s one of the best fields in the league. We’ve had time as a team to prepare and that definitely helps us…now let’s go and get this win, because we need it.”

Head Coach Gerson Echeverry’s RGV FC Toros are led in attack by the always-dangerous Belizean Michael Salazar.  Salazar and Panamanian hitman Carlos Small have combined to score 13 goals in the 2019 USL Championship, with both players having appeared for their respective national teams.  Small scored twice for the Toros in a 5-3 loss last Saturday against the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, after having entered the contest as a 74th minute substitute.  Salazar had opened the scoring for RGV FC on the hour mark with a crisp back-post header after a whipped left-footed ball from Robert Coronado.  

“They’re a good passing team and they have a lot of players with good soccer intelligence,” said Trittschuh.  “Salazar played the other night for the Houston Dynamo and they’re off this weekend so we don’t know who will play for RGV yet.  Carlos Small is a strong, quick and dynamic player. They’re a good, organized team and they pass the ball really well so we can’t be opened up by that early.  It’s not going to be an easy game and we’ve got to have a good start. They’ve given up seven goals in their last two games, so we need a good start. We’ve worked all week on our defensive shape because that’s what we’ve been focused on in the last few games, and it’s been great to have that time to work together and prepare.”

Three goalkeepers have four or more appearances for the Toros in 2019, as Michael Nelson, Nicolas Corti, and Tyler Deric have joined Ben Willis in seeing time between the sticks during this USL Championship season.  Nelson was in net for RGV’s 5-3 loss in Utah on Saturday, with the former Southern Methodist University Mustang on-loan with RGV from their Major League Soccer parent club, Houston Dynamo.

“I really like playing there,” said Saeed Robinson.  “We need to make sure we come out with a positive result.  It’s one of the best fields in the league. We’ve had time as a team to prepare and that definitely helps us…now let’s go and get this win, because we need it.”

Head Coach Gerson Echeverry’s RGV FC Toros are led in attack by the always-dangerous Belizean Michael Salazar.  Salazar and Panamanian hitman Carlos Small have combined to score 13 goals in the 2019 USL Championship, with both players having appeared for their respective national teams.  Small scored twice for the Toros in a 5-3 loss last Saturday against the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, after having entered the contest as a 74th minute substitute.  Salazar had opened the scoring for RGV FC on the hour mark with a crisp back-post header after a whipped left-footed ball from Robert Coronado.  

“They’re a good passing team and they have a lot of players with good soccer intelligence,” said Trittschuh.  “Salazar played the other night for the Houston Dynamo and they’re off this weekend so we don’t know who will play for RGV yet.  Carlos Small is a strong, quick and dynamic player. They’re a good, organized team and they pass the ball really well so we can’t be opened up by that early.  It’s not going to be an easy game and we’ve got to have a good start. They’ve given up seven goals in their last two games, so we need a good start. We’ve worked all week on our defensive shape because that’s what we’ve been focused on in the last few games, and it’s been great to have that time to work together and prepare.”

Three goalkeepers have four or more appearances for the Toros in 2019, as Michael Nelson, Nicolas Corti, and Tyler Deric have joined Ben Willis in seeing time between the sticks during this USL Championship season.  Nelson was in net for RGV’s 5-3 loss in Utah on Saturday, with the former Southern Methodist University Mustang on-loan with RGV from their Major League Soccer parent club, Houston Dynamo.

Switchbacks ‘keeper Andre Rawls has kept a clean sheet in two straight matches, producing numerous saves in each before the Switchbacks eventually found a goal.  “Goalkeepers love to take credit, but the defense did most of the work keeping Tacoma at bay last weekend,” said Rawls. “It’s going to be a tough game against RGV, but we’ve got a good mentality right now and it will be a good challenge.  We need to read the game and take it as it goes and be ready for everything.”

The Switchbacks and Toros will renew their rivalry on August 10th at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs on Back to School Night, with a backpack giveaway for the first 500 fans courtesy of GE Johnson.


On June 22nd, the Switchbacks will be back at Weidner Field to host the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City with Colorado Technical University sponsoring both a pre-game T shirt giveaway for the first 500 fans and a post-match fireworks display.

Switchbacks ‘keeper Andre Rawls has kept a clean sheet in two straight matches, producing numerous saves in each before the Switchbacks eventually found a goal.  “Goalkeepers love to take credit, but the defense did most of the work keeping Tacoma at bay last weekend,” said Rawls. “It’s going to be a tough game against RGV, but we’ve got a good mentality right now and it will be a good challenge.  We need to read the game and take it as it goes and be ready for everything.”

The Switchbacks and Toros will renew their rivalry on August 10th at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs on Back to School Night, with a backpack giveaway for the first 500 fans courtesy of GE Johnson.


On June 22nd, the Switchbacks will be back at Weidner Field to host the Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City with Colorado Technical University sponsoring both a pre-game T shirt giveaway for the first 500 fans and a post-match fireworks display.

Vargish's View: Colorado Springs Switchbacks Looking To Win Two Straight

Fresh off felling Fresno FC, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC return to Weidner Field on Saturday evening as they host the Tacoma Defiance on Star Wars Cancer Awareness Night, presented by Penrose-St.Francis Health Services with the first 1,000 fans through the gates receiving Switchbacks laser thundersticks.  The Switchbacks will also be auctioning off their R2-D2 warmup jerseys, with all proceeds going to the Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation.

The Tacoma Defiance – previously known as the Seattle Sounders 2 – have endured a wretched start to the 2019 USL Championship campaign, as the team from T-Town have already lost 10 matches.  “The first team [Seattle Sounders of MLS] have a lot of guys missing right now, so we won’t be sure exactly who will play against us on Saturday,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “They’re a good team even though their record doesn’t show it. They play a good style so we have to be on our game. It wasn’t our best possible game against Fresno, but the players dug really deep – especially at the end – and all the credit has to go to them.”

Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt scored the winning goal against Fresno FC last Saturday, after Ish Jome had delivered a delightful corner kick.  “It was definitely a bit of a relief to get the goal,” said Burt early Tuesday morning. “It was good to score – especially going into halftime – and give the team a boost.  Going up right before the half is very important. I’m just proud of the team’s overall performance.”

Shane Malcolm will not be available for Saturday’s match at Weidner Field, as the winger will be representing the Guam National Team in a two-legged World Cup Qualifier against Bhutan.  On Thursday, Guam will visit Changlimithang Stadium in Tempu, Bhutan before hosting the Dragon Boys next Monday evening (11:15pm Mountain Time) at the Guam National Football Stadium in Hagåtña in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  

Fresh off felling Fresno FC, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC return to Weidner Field on Saturday evening as they host the Tacoma Defiance on Star Wars Cancer Awareness Night, presented by Penrose-St.Francis Health Services with the first 1,000 fans through the gates receiving Switchbacks laser thundersticks.  The Switchbacks will also be auctioning off their R2-D2 warmup jerseys, with all proceeds going to the Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation.

The Tacoma Defiance – previously known as the Seattle Sounders 2 – have endured a wretched start to the 2019 USL Championship campaign, as the team from T-Town have already lost 10 matches.  “The first team [Seattle Sounders of MLS] have a lot of guys missing right now, so we won’t be sure exactly who will play against us on Saturday,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “They’re a good team even though their record doesn’t show it. They play a good style so we have to be on our game. It wasn’t our best possible game against Fresno, but the players dug really deep – especially at the end – and all the credit has to go to them.”

Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt scored the winning goal against Fresno FC last Saturday, after Ish Jome had delivered a delightful corner kick.  “It was definitely a bit of a relief to get the goal,” said Burt early Tuesday morning. “It was good to score – especially going into halftime – and give the team a boost.  Going up right before the half is very important. I’m just proud of the team’s overall performance.”

Shane Malcolm will not be available for Saturday’s match at Weidner Field, as the winger will be representing the Guam National Team in a two-legged World Cup Qualifier against Bhutan.  On Thursday, Guam will visit Changlimithang Stadium in Tempu, Bhutan before hosting the Dragon Boys next Monday evening (11:15pm Mountain Time) at the Guam National Football Stadium in Hagåtña in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  

“Shane is a big loss because he’s one of our leading scorers and he’s playing every minute of every game for us,” said Saeed Robinson.  “It’s going to be a different dynamic and it will be difficult without him but we know we’ve all got to make up for it. It meant a lot to the team to finally get a win in the league but if we can’t continue the winning ways then it doesn’t really mean anything so we’ve got to continue this weekend.”

“Obviously, Shane is a big part of this team,” said Burt.  “Someone will have to step in and step up – we’ve got a lot of guys who are willing and able to do that.  This week we need to focus on what we do best and use the win on Saturday as momentum. Tacoma have a talented group.  Every game in this league is a dogfight so we have to be ready to play and ready for a team that will be looking for a win.”

“It’s good for Ish to get the Team of the Week and it’s also good for us that we have Saeed back now,” said Trittschuh.  “Ish deserved it. Saeed being back helps give us a different look. César [Romero] will be back with us on Friday and with Shane being gone, guys will have to step up and take their chance and we’ll see who is ready to do that at the weekend.”

“It’s nice to be recognized and be on the Team of the Week, but the most important thing is for the team to get the win – that’s really all that matters,” said Jome.  

Former LA Galaxy II striker Justin Dhillon leads Tacoma in goals with five, and scored the Defiance’s lone goal last Saturday as his team fell at home to El Paso Locomotive FC 2-1 at Cheney Stadium.  Former Indiana Hoosier goalkeeper Trey Muse is the Defiance’s leader in minutes at the GK position, although Bryan Meredith has started both of Tacoma’s last two matches in the USL Championship.

“Shane is a big loss because he’s one of our leading scorers and he’s playing every minute of every game for us,” said Saeed Robinson.  “It’s going to be a different dynamic and it will be difficult without him but we know we’ve all got to make up for it. It meant a lot to the team to finally get a win in the league but if we can’t continue the winning ways then it doesn’t really mean anything so we’ve got to continue this weekend.”

“Obviously, Shane is a big part of this team,” said Burt.  “Someone will have to step in and step up – we’ve got a lot of guys who are willing and able to do that.  This week we need to focus on what we do best and use the win on Saturday as momentum. Tacoma have a talented group.  Every game in this league is a dogfight so we have to be ready to play and ready for a team that will be looking for a win.”

“It’s good for Ish to get the Team of the Week and it’s also good for us that we have Saeed back now,” said Trittschuh.  “Ish deserved it. Saeed being back helps give us a different look. César [Romero] will be back with us on Friday and with Shane being gone, guys will have to step up and take their chance and we’ll see who is ready to do that at the weekend.”

“It’s nice to be recognized and be on the Team of the Week, but the most important thing is for the team to get the win – that’s really all that matters,” said Jome.  

Former LA Galaxy II striker Justin Dhillon leads Tacoma in goals with five, and scored the Defiance’s lone goal last Saturday as his team fell at home to El Paso Locomotive FC 2-1 at Cheney Stadium.  Former Indiana Hoosier goalkeeper Trey Muse is the Defiance’s leader in minutes at the GK position, although Bryan Meredith has started both of Tacoma’s last two matches in the USL Championship.

“The win against Fresno was huge for our team morale,” said Rony Argueta.  “We’ve been really unlucky in the last few weeks and that’s hurt our results.  Moving forward we’ll look to build from last weekend and keep our positive vibe going.  All of last week we were very positive and we kept our attitude up and that helped us a lot to get the win and we’ll look to do that again today and into the Tacoma game.”

When asked about the uptick in positive attitude for the Switchbacks over the last week, Head Coach Trittschuh responded, “They’re character – the character of these players is what’s kept us fighting.  We’re trying to keep it positive around here. There’s been a lot of negativity around but it’s come from people who don’t know our club and don’t know these players. We’ve been trying to keep all the negativity out and that’s what we did before Fresno.”


Following Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will travel to Edinburg, Texas to face the RGV FC Toros on June 15th.  June 22nd will see the Switchbacks host the SLC Monarchs with summer fireworks and a t-shirt giveaway, sponsored by Colorado Technical University.  The Switchbacks will head to Cheney Stadium in the Great Pacific Northwest to face the Defiance on October 12th.

“The win against Fresno was huge for our team morale,” said Rony Argueta.  “We’ve been really unlucky in the last few weeks and that’s hurt our results.  Moving forward we’ll look to build from last weekend and keep our positive vibe going.  All of last week we were very positive and we kept our attitude up and that helped us a lot to get the win and we’ll look to do that again today and into the Tacoma game.”

When asked about the uptick in positive attitude for the Switchbacks over the last week, Head Coach Trittschuh responded, “They’re character – the character of these players is what’s kept us fighting.  We’re trying to keep it positive around here. There’s been a lot of negativity around but it’s come from people who don’t know our club and don’t know these players. We’ve been trying to keep all the negativity out and that’s what we did before Fresno.”


Following Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will travel to Edinburg, Texas to face the RGV FC Toros on June 15th.  June 22nd will see the Switchbacks host the SLC Monarchs with summer fireworks and a t-shirt giveaway, sponsored by Colorado Technical University.  The Switchbacks will head to Cheney Stadium in the Great Pacific Northwest to face the Defiance on October 12th.

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